Sight for firearms.



UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WINDRIDGE ANDv GEORGE S. WILCOX, OF MIDDLEFIELD, CONNECTICUT,- ASSIGNORS TO THE LYMAN GUN SIGHT CORPORATION, OF MIDDLEFIELD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- -TION OF CONNECTICUT.

SIG-HT FOR FIREARMS.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed February 23. 1907. Serial No. 358.899-

ToolZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMEs WINDRIDGE and GEORGE S. WILCOX, citizens of the United States, and residents of Middlefield, in the county of Middlesex and State of Con necticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sights for Firearms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to that class of sights for firearms known as adjustable leaf sights and commonly comprising a leaf sight mounted at the end of a lever which is hinged or otherwise movably attached to a base secured on the gun barrel and adjusted for elevation by mechanism adapted to operate the lever upon its hinge or pivotal center.

The invention has for 1ts object to rovide improved means for adjusting the slght for elevation,.and to this end it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of a wedging cam and abutment for camming the lever upward, in connection with a counteracting spring, and binding'screw for securing the cam, and in the construction of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved sight with the sight leaf'adjustedat point blank. Fig. 2 is a side view with the sight leaf adjusted at maximum elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a central vertical lengthwise section corresponding to the elevation Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a central vertical lengthwise section corresponding to the elevation Fig. 1. Fig. 6is a plan view of the base,'with parts of the elevating mechanism in place therein. Fig. .7 is a plan view of the lever and leaf sight detached from the base. Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical cross section on the line a; 90 Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical cross section on the line y y Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the base of the sight, which is adapted for attachment to a firearm by means of a suitable transverse dovetailed tenon, 0. on its lower side near the forward end, fitting a corresponding crosswise seat or groove, a, in the upper side of the gun' barrel, B, whereby the base is extended lengthwise of the barrel vertically over the axis thereof. The base is formed with the vertical longitudinal flanges,

d, at its sides, which at their rear ends, (1 correspond in height to the throw of the sight carrying lever, and are graduated at that point on their outer surfaces for indicating the elevation thereof. The forward ends, (1 of the flanges or the portions surmounting the tenon comprise the ears which support the transverse ivot or arbor, et, whereon the sight carrying ever is hinged. Said pivot is formed with a screw threaded head, 0 which is screwed into the corresponding ear to hold the pivot in place. The axis of the pivot is substantially coincident with the flat upper surface of the base, and a semicircu ar groove, 6 concentric with said axis is formed in the base below said surface, as shown in Figs. 4:, 5, and 6.

The sight carrying lever, E, is fitted between the flanges, d, of the base, with its forward end hinged upon the pivot, 6 and the base and at its forward corners is provided with the points, g projecting upon the outside of the flanges, d, at the graduated area thereof to indicate the elevation of the lever in relation thereto. The rear end of the lever carries the sight proper, which may comprise any desired form or style of mounting. In this instance, a notched leaf sight, h, and a straight edged sight, h are shown, both hinged to the leaf on a common axis or pivotal center, t, and adapted respectively to be folded forward and rearward and brought into sighting position at will, as is usual with this class of sights.

The flat portion of the sight fitted between the ears of the base is formed with a central longitudinal slot or way, L, which forks or bifurcates said part, as shown in Fig. 7. The lower side of said forked part of the lever and the adjacent surface of the base are each slightly recessed as shown in Fig. 9, together forming a space, m, between the two parts when they are in juxtaposition.

In the forward end of the slot or way, L, is fitted a part or abutment, 91., secured in posiportion of the lever is somewhat wider than I tion by having its forward end. shaped to enthe beveled part occupied reversed positions,

gage the groove, 0, of the base and perforated to fit upon the pivot, 0 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The rear end of the said part is beveled on its upper side, and a revcrsely beveled elevating slide, 1", is fitted in the way rearwardly of and in engagement with the abutment, n, and provided with a head, If, engaging the lower side of the lever in the recess thereof or space, m, between the base and lever. A vertical, screw threaded perforation, u, in the slide receives a clamping screw, 10, provided with a circular operating head, 11?, adapted to bear and thrust upon the upper flat surface of the lever to draw the slide upward and clamp it rigidly to the lever. The operating head is of somewhat greater width than the base and proper: tioned to overhang the sides thereof to permit its edges being readily grasped between the thumb and finger for being turned or moved lengthwise of the lever to operate the elevating slide.

At the forward end of the base and secured thereto by the screws, a is a light spring plate, it, having its rear end bearing upon the forward end of the lever sufficiently rearward of the hinge joint thereof to exert its tension to force the lever downward to the point blank position, as shown in Fig. 5. The spring therefore acts in resistance to the upward motion of the lever, and counter to the elevating mechanism.

In operation the sight lever is elevated by means of the forward movement of the ele vating slide, 1", in engagement with and camming action upon the inclined surface or wedge shaped rear end of the abutment, n. Conversely the rearward movement of the slide depresses the sight lever, which will be forced downward by the spring, a and by its own weight, as the slide is retracted from the abutment. In these actions the slide is first released by a slight backward turn of the screw head, then moved in its seat by means of the head, and when the required elevation of the lever is attained a reverse turn of the screw head will clamp the parts securely in position. The total adjustment of the sight lever comprises a range from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 to its position in Figs. 2 and 4, and the elevation is indicated by the points, 9 and graduation of the base as designated in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will readily be perceived that while both the elevating slide and the abutment with which it coacts are provided with inclined or beveled engaging surfaces, camming action will result if only one of the members is wedge shaped. For instance, if the slide were reversed in its seat and its squared rear end brought into engagement with the inclined surface of the abutment the mechanism would be operative, and this would be the case if the blunt end or squared part and that is with the former on the base and the latter on the sight lever.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sight for firearms, comprising a base having longitudinally extending flanges, a sight-carrying lever mounted on the base between the flanges, an abutment on the base situated'between the flanges, and a slide on the lever above the abutment and coacting therewith.

2. A sight for firearms, comprising a base having longitudinally extending flanges, a sight-carrying lever mounted on the base between the flanges, an abutment on the base situated between the flanges, a slide on the lever above the abutment and coacting therewith, the engaging surfaces of the slide and abutment being inclined, and means for clamping the slide to hold it immovable on the lever.

3. In a sight for firearms, the combination of a base, a sight-carrying lever hinged to the base and having a longitudinal slot or way that extends from the hinge, and an abutment on the base lying in said slot, and a slide guided in said slot, said abutment and slide having co-acting surfaces.

4. In a sight for firearms, the combination of a base, a sight-carrying lever hinged to the base and having a longitudinal slot or way that extends from the hinge, an abutment on the base lying in said slot, a slide guided in said slot, said abutment and slide having co-acting surfaces, and a clamping device for the slide having an operating member overlying the slide on the top of the lever.

5. In a sight for fire arms, the combination of a base, a sight carrying lever hinged to the base, a slide carried by said lever, an abutment on the base in the path of the slide, a clamping device for the slide having a rotatable member overlying the lever on the top thereof, and projecting beyond the sides of the lever, said member serving as a means for moving the slide.

6. In a sight for firearms the combination of a base adapted for attachment to the gun barrel, a sight carrying lever hinged to the base and having alongitudinal slot or way, an abutment carried on the base and received within the slot of the lever, an elevating slide received in the slot or way of the lever in camming engagement with the abutment of the base, and provided with a head beneath the lever, and a screw for clamping the slide upon the lever provided with an operating head above and bearing upon the lever.

7 In a sight for firearms the combination of a base adapted for attachment to the gun barrel, a sight carrying lever hinged to the base and having a longitudinal slot or way, an abutment secured to the base and received Within the slot of the lever, an elevating slide movably fitted in the slot or way of the lever in camming engagement with the abutment of the base and provided with a head engaging the lower side of the lever, a screw engaging the slide and provided with an operating head engaging the upper side of the lever, and a spring secured to the base and engaging and adapted to depress the lever in counteraction to its elevation by the camming action of' the slide and abutment.

8. In a sight for fire arms, the combination of a base, a sight-carrying lever hinged to the base, longitudinal flanges on the base having graduations, indicating means on the lever to cooperate with the graduations, an abutment on the base apart from and betweenthe base flanges, and a slide situated in a slot in the lever to cooperate with said abutment to move the lever on its hinge.

9. In a sight for firearms the combination of the base having the dove tailed tenon for attachment to a gun barrel and provided with the longitudinal flanges graduated at their rear ends, the lever hinged to the base by a pivot secured through the flanges thereof, having a slot or way at its forward end and provided with the indicating points overlapping upon the graduated area of the flanges, the abutment carried on the base and received in the slot of the lever, the camrning elevating slide seated in the slot of the lever in engagement with the abutment and having a head on the lower side of the lever, the clamping screw attached to the slide and having an o erating head bearing upon the upper side 01' the lever, a spring screwed to the base and bearing upon and adapted to depress the lever, and a sight mounted upon the free end of the lever, substantially as and for the purpose specified. Signed by us at Middlefleld, Connecticut this 15 day of February 1907.

JAMES WINDRIDGE. GEORGES. WILCOX. Witnesses:

ALFRED H. AUGUR, GEORGE L. BARNES. 

